The January 16 and 20 incidents are more of the same from Tehran. On November 4, there was a similar attack on Riyadh. It led Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz to declare such attacks “may amount to an act of war” involving Iran.

Despite mounting evidence of its involvement in hostile activities in the region, Iran seems to think denials are the best answer. Hence, it denies involvement in the Yemen war and says it has nothing to do with arming the Houthis.

A new confidential UN report, leaked by diplomats to CNN, offers strong evidence of Iran’s role in the Yemen conflict.

The report says: “The (UN) panel has identi­fied missile remnants, related military equip­ment and military unmanned aerial vehicles that are of Iranian origin and were introduced into Yemen after the imposition of the targeted arms embargo.” It went on to pronounce Iran in “non-compliance” of the 2015 UN resolution that imposed an arms embargo on the Houthis.

These are tough words but they reflect the real dangers lurking behind Tehran’s attitude. Iran continues to meddle in the region, stoking conflict and sectarian division. Yet, Tehran mendaciously insists that it is opposed to foreign interference in other countries’ “internal affairs.” It denounces “blatant intervention” by foreign countries in Syria even though it deploys and positions thousands of advisers and proxy fighters there.

For too long has the world ignored this double standard. The UN report lays bare the contours of the regional game that Iran seems to think it can pursue with impunity and without conse­quences.

The recent turmoil faced by Iran’s ruling clergy at home shows there are eventually consequences to its destructive and costly enterprise.